Light After Dark
by Geummi Bears
Summary: My life has never belonged to me. I wish it did; but it was sold to Death since I was conceived. And now Death hunts me down to reclaim what is rightfully his. Kaasama, everything will work out; right? Gaara/OC, set shippuden. On Hiatus.
1. Prologue

I am Ishihara Miira. I am sixteen years old, and I am staring into the face of death.

His eyes are red, and his hair is black. He is holding me by the front of my shirt, a few inches off the ground in between his legs. Death is a cloaked figure, though his skin is surprisingly warm. He seems regretful as he stares at me, but he drops me to the ground and steps back when his partner tells him to leave me.

His voice is deep, and he speaks to the other people in the room. Everything is going so fast, I can only make a few words out. A woman's voice piques up in the corner; one I know well. Is this it? How it ends?

I've been here for about a day now, my ankle on one leg is broken, and my other leg is broken. I am not exactly an amazing kunoichi in the first place, but it doesn't matter; I have almost no chakra left. I can not escape, and I don't seem to have any rescuers coming.

I wish badly to say goodbye to one person in particular. I doubt my kidnappers would be kind enough to pass a message on, if I could even speak. My throat is dry, and rough; and even sucking in breath hurts. I tried to speak a few times, but it's come out in pathetic rasps that I am almost certain death is laughing at me.

He is here again, looming over me. He blinks twice then picks me up, slinging me onto his shoulder. The steps he takes towards the centre of the room are slow and sound heavy. I can hear the low boom of his voice in his chest; my ears are against his back, but I can't make out singular words.

"I hear it's mostly painless." I am sure that's what he speaks.

"You shouldn't lie to her." A woman's voice replies. "Or are you suddenly sentimental?"

"No."

I am then dropped to the cold floor, and I close my eyes. I don't wish to see death reaching his long, ringed finger at me.

My body goes numb a few moments later, and after that I remember nothing.

_Disclaimer; I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters. Miira and Miu belong to me however. _

Ahh, new story. I had this planned for a while, and couldn't decide what to write; I dug up my text file of this, and decided to start work on it. I hope to update this more, look after me well! Kekeke~


	2. What I Do Not Know

"How much further do we have to walk? My legs are tired, and I'm hot!"

"You need to toughen up more."

I should have expected the typical response. I hate the heat and I am not built for week-long treks. This was not my idea to come here, and if I had any say, we'd have been heading back home instantly. Not because it's 'too hard', but because this could mean my mothers death.

It could, also, mean her safety- though I'm not exactly sure what is going on.

She says death is certain if she doesn't get help from a hidden village, if she doesn't barter her information for her life- how can she be so sure?

Kaasama never tells me anything these days. She's never been too fond of her past either- I know she once lived in Konoha and it was there she trained to become a medical ninja. I know she left a few years prior to me being born, though I don't know who my father is.

She said, at the time, he was simply a teenager; she hasn't told him about me either. I questioned her once why we didn't go to him for safety, he was supposedly a skilled ninja too, but she would always shrug it off.

The day after my birthday, she had decided to leave the small house we lived in, and we began to head here. It wasn't a random village she had decided on though- Sunagakure was the closest to where we were at the time.

We have been walking for six days. I have never been trained as a ninja- a few skills here and there from Kaasama so that I can survive; but I don't have much stamina or physical fitness. I'm smart though, or so Kaasama tells me.

I suppose that's a funny thing to say, but I don't ever remember being around other people. Sometimes we'd go to towns and villages where there were no ninja's around, but that is it. I guess it was lonely but, Kaasama and I are close. Her behaviour these days scares me though.

"Kaasama, please..."

She sighs and turns to me. "We're almost there."

"But I don't see anything." All that lies ahead of us is desert... I suppose it is a 'hidden' village; perhaps that means it's invisible.

She laughs. "We won't need to go there... they will come for us when we get too close," she frowns a little, seemingly not excited by that prospect. "They shouldn't hurt you though, I don't think."

I don't know whether to be reassured or not. I don't care much about myself for this, but she seems certain they'll attack her. What is she hiding from me?

I grumble to myself, digging my feet into the sand and staring at her. "Will you please explain what is going on?" I feel helpless. "I trust you, but... this is strange!"

Her face softens as she stares at me, and she opens her mouth to say something; but it's cut short when I am knocked down to the sand and pinned there- by two heavy bodies. Really it would only take one.

Kaasama is restrained ahead of me, forced to her knees with her wrists tied behind her back. Her eyes are covered, and shortly after so are mine.

"Ishihara Miu; we should execute you where you stand..." The voice is deep, definitely Male. "But the Kazekage ordered you and your... accomplice be brought to the village."

"Don't you touch her! She's done nothing..."

I open my mouth to say something, but my mouth is covered by a firm hand. Kaasama's idea doesn't seem to be working so well, does it?

"I will tell you everything I know, but you must guarantee her safety!"

My safety? I thought she was here to bargain hers. Now I really am confused- what if they ask me questions? I won't be able to answer... I don't know anything!

"That's not for us to accept, even if you were telling the truth."

And tell them everything she knows? About what?

Suddenly I am pulled to my feet, and then picked up. Either they know I'd slow them down, or they're scared I'd try to run off. Surely, if they're ninja, they know I'm no threat to them? Surely they also know if we meant harm, we wouldn't surely walk towards the main gates?

About ten minutes later, I found myself dropped to the floor. I landed on my backside with a loud oof, and heard Kaasama growl at the near-by ninja's. She's always so protective of me, and she's on edge right now.

"Don't hurt her! I told you... I'll tell you everything I know, but you have to assure her safety! She can't do anything to harm you, look at her!"

I wish I could see who she was talking to. Suddenly, I am pulled to my feet and the wrappings around my eyes are removed. I blink once, twice and then three times to get used to the bright light and shake my head a little.

I glance around the room as my bearings come back to me. There are about twelve people there, plus Kaasama and I. Two of them are restraining her- one is a rather intimidating boy a bit older than myself, covered in face paint.

The one restraining me is female with blonde hair, and she wears a puzzled expression on her face as she looks me over.

"It's true she doesn't appear to have physical strength..."

"She doesn't know anything either! Nothing at all!"

The look in my mothers eyes terrifies me as I stare at her. She's... desperate almost, pleading with them. I've never seen her beg to anyone, and it breaks my heart to see.

"How can we be so sure?" The girl holding me growls, moving a little bit forward. "You're a wanted criminal, how do we know she doesn't know anything? You could have sealed her strength."

"Temari."

The room goes silent at this voice, and I look over to the source of it. A boy about my age with red hair and pale skin. He was sat down when I first noticed him, but now he stood up in front of his desk. His eyes rested on me at my gaze, then back at Kaasama.

"She's confused," he said simply. "It's true she could know everything but it's been sealed, but for now- she has done nothing wrong. She's not a prisoner but, we should keep an eye on her for a bit, while we deal with Miu."

"Gaara..." 'Temari's' tone is disbelieving. I know his name though- Gaara, Kazekage of Sunagakure. At least he seems willing to listen to Kaasama. "She could be dangerous!"

"Could be."

Temari's grip on my wrists tighten a little, before she sighs and lets me go. "Wait outside," she frowns, pointing towards the door. "We'll deal with you after."

Am I supposed to do as they say? I stare intently at Kaasama; I feel so confused. Why couldn't she have told me anything?

"Do as she says," she smiles lightly.

I hesitantly nod, feeling all gazes on me as I slip out of the room. I am almost positive as I close the door I can hear the word 'Akatsuki' mentioned. Of course I know who Akatsuki are; does Kaasama have information on them? It's the only thing I can think of. Bartering important information on them for her- my safety.

Why would I be in danger though?

I feel absolutely frustrated that I am unable to do anything to help her, helpless and useless to myself also. So all I can do is do as the Ninjas here say? I wish I could hear inside of the room, I want to know everything- even if it puts me in more danger. Surely, I'm better protected if I know what danger I was even in?

I take a seat in the hall, and sit there patiently. Are we really safe here? What happens if they kill her and chuck me out? What happens if they decide to kill me because they think I'm some kind of... threat?

I know my mother is a wanted ninja, but that's about it. I don't know exactly why she's wanted.

About half an hour later the door opens again and Temari steps out, holding a scroll in her left hand. I peer into the room at the small crack of the door; from what I can see of her, Kaasama seems to be okay, but she does look a little pale.

Temari shuts the door quickly, and I sit back up. She stares at me for a long time- does she wish me to follow her or something? Her stare before had been hostile, but now she seems almost sad. Perhaps Kaasama and I are to be put to death. She disappears down the hall in a flurry of movements shortly after, and I am left alone again.


End file.
